Front Range
AvalanchePaul Rogers · Dec 16, 2015 · Front Range
Weather
Sky was primarily overcast with thin clouds and intermittent periods of sunshine. Cold moderate winds from the WNW and NW with snow transport at and above TL. No precip, 0 degrees at the start of the tour and probably averaged around 5 yet the windchill made it feel much colder.
Snowpack
Observations near & below TL. New snow from yesterday’s storm totaled 10 inches in area and was high density. Strong winds from a variety of directions, during and right after the storm have quickly stiffened the storm snow into slab conditions. Winds plus the high density snow, created mediocre skiing quality. Below TL, snowpack structure is weak – boot pen often can go to ground. At and around TL, wind slabs have quickly developed on N-S aspects, 4f-1F and rests on low-density snow, F, from previous storm creating upside down scenario. At and just below TL, on E-SE-S aspects we observed whumping and shooting cracks – running on crusts. At and below TL average depth was 1-1.2 meters. Above TL, SW-W-N aspects are soured with much of the new snow having been removed and transported to leeward aspects. Story of the day was wind, the various directions it came from during/right after the storm, and how quickly it’s impacted the new storm snow and created slab conditions.
Avalanche
none observed